


Claimed

by darylobsession (Shirleytheresevanderhorst)



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Reality, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-12
Updated: 2015-09-22
Packaged: 2018-04-20 11:37:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4785938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shirleytheresevanderhorst/pseuds/darylobsession
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Daryl had never left the group he ran with after Beth got kidnapped? If they didn't find Rick, Carl and Michonne, and Daryl presumed Beth to be dead?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Groups

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Starting a new fanfiction, let me know what you all think, uploads may be slow, I'd rather do something properly than rush it just to get something out each week. Fingers crossed I'll be feeling inspired.  
> Thanks lovelies!

“Claimed.” Daryl muttered loud enough so the others would hear, as soon as he saw the cowering girl they had surrounded.  
“Oh come on Daryl, that ain’t no fun!” The fattest guy whined.  
“I said claimed.” His southern drawl was thick in his anger. He hated whiners. He hated that he had to claim the girl to protect her from the men he had fallen in with.  
“They boy said it. She’s his. Better next luck time.” The leader drawled, turning away as though uninterested.  
There were a few huffs and heavy sighs, before Daryl was left partially alone with the girl. ´She must have been younger than him by about ten years, although it was hard to tell under all the grime and dirt she had on her. Her hair must be black, and her scared blue eyes darted around, looking for an escape.  
“None of that now. Only make things worse with them.” He murmured for her to hear, jerking his head towards the group of men.  
“I ain’t yours. Ain’t nobody’s.”  
“This group, they work with claimin’. Did ya a favour, trust me. I ain’t the worst one here.” He closed the space, grabbing her shoulders and lifting her slightly off the ground. “C’mmon, got the cab of that truck there.”  
She struggled only minimally, quieting further when the men watched intently as the pair passed them, leering.  
The truck was spacious enough, the backseats having been pulled out and replaced with a mattress. Daryl watched from the front seat as she tucked herself into a corner at the back.  
“S’your name?”  
She seemed dazed for a moment. “Marie.”  
“M’Daryl.” He returned, grabbing a mostly clean shit and throwing it next to her. “Get into that, yours is rank. I’ll have a look if there’s some pants in one of the suitcases outside.”  
She obliged as he stepped out the truck, making sure the other men couldn’t see her before stripping off the horrible shirt and putting his on. For some reason, she folded the old shirt into a neat pile, even though it was most likely she’d have to throw it out. She jumped when Daryl opened the cab door again, tossing some pants her way.  
“Thanks.” She shed her shorts quickly when he turned his back to her, pulling on the pants. They were a little big, but had a drawstring waist, so they worked.  
“All good?” His rough voice came from the front.  
“Yes.”  
He turned sideways, propping himself against the opposite door and peeking at her from under his long hair. She stared back at him, watching his chew his thumb absentmindedly.  
“So if these guys are so terrible, why are you with them?”  
He was silent, only shrugging to indicate he’d heard. She didn’t ask him anything else, eyes getting heavy, till she finally fell asleep watching him tend his crossbow.  
“Git’up.” His rough voice woke the girl.  
“Are we leaving?”  
“Yeah, never stay in the same place more than a nigh’”  
“Grab your shit, we’re moving!” Marie heard the leader shout from outside.  
“C’mon.” He beckoned and she crawled her way to the cab, stepping over the benches and into the garage they were currently in. The other men were already stepping out the door, so she looked to Daryl, waiting. He picked his stuff off the floor and motioned for her to follow.  
Two walkers were dropped as she exited, Daryl’s crossbow bolt whistling and then landing with a solid ‘thunk’ in the walkers head. She skipped forward and collected the bolts again, handing them to him.  
“Got yourself a trained lap dog there, Daryl!” One of the men shouted.  
“What other tricks she know?” Another leered.  
“I’m not a lap dog.”  
“Nope, just a lap bitch!” A third contributed, to the laughing of the rest.  
Marie bit her tongue from retorting, knowing it would get her nothing. Daryl squinted at the girl from under his bangs, and she averted her eyes.  
The walking was hard, sun high and hot at this point, and she could feel her clothes clinging to her frame, which the men didn’t fail to comment on and ogle at. She could feel Daryl’s impatience growing until he snapped at the near constant remarks.  
“You say’nother word and I’m gonna put an arrow through your voice box.” He growled at the fat one, who had just said something along the lines of ‘Marie was so wet for all them’  
“Oh you wanna try?” The guy countered, turning and bringing the group to a halt.  
“Wouldn’t mind.” Daryl growled back, crossbow already trained on the man’s throat.  
“Come on now, no need for all this.” The leader stepped between the two men.  
“If he shuts his mouth there ain’t.”  
“Not gonna shut my mouth for no redneck hillbilly!”  
“Call me that again fatass.”  
The man lunged forward, only held back by the leader, Daryl readjusted his aim quickly, face set in a snarl. Shaking, the girl reached forward, tugging lightly on his shirt.  
“What?” He spat at her, eyes still squinting down the sights.  
“Please don’t do this just coz of me.”  
“Ain’t just coz of you.”  
“It’s not worth it.” She whispered. The rest of the men had their guns trained on Daryl.  
He pursed his lips, cursing as he swung away, crossbow loose in his hand. She stood still, flinching away from the anger that pulsed off him.  
“Pussy whipped!” The fat man spat.  
“Connor, shut your trap.” The old man scolded, cuffing the man on the head.  
“You heard’im.” Daryl challenged, getting in Connor’s face. His crossbow had been dropped next to me, and he was fingering a knife at his hip.  
The girl bated her breath, only releasing it when Connor turned away, muttering something like ‘crazy redneck’. Daryl stayed a while longer, tense and watching, before turning back and grabbing his crossbow. He didn’t even glance her way, shouldering his weapon and stalking away. Sighing, she trotted after him.  
When she thought her feet might give out from exhaustion, they called a halt, pointing to a small two story house. Marie was shoved aside as the men entered the house first, clearing and claiming. She waited until two of the men dragged some dead walkers out the house, before stepping into the door way. A hand appeared, settling on the wall next to her face, blocking her way.  
“Hey sugar.” The leader named Jess said, leaning in.  
“Can I go?”  
“Why don’t you hear me out, doesn’t that sound fair?”  
Marie nodded shortly, stomach twisting.  
“I know Daryl’s claimed you and all, fair and square and that’s fine. But you see, he owes me. And I’m thinking he could repay me…with you.”  
She felt my lip tremble in fear as she tried to look at him. “Why does he owe you?”  
“Ya see, a while back, he got me riled. Takes a lot to rile a man like me. I had a knife to his neck ya see, and he begged me not to kill him. I acquiesced. So he owes me. If he doesn’t pay back soon…I’m gonna kill him.”  
Her heart was going a mile a minute and she could hear blood rushing in her ears, loud enough to drown everything out.  
Daryl was laying on the dusty bed in the second bedroom, crossbow beside him. She avoided looking at him, settling on the floor in the corner, curling into as comfortable a position as she could manage and trying to sleep. When Daryl was snoring softly, the girl rose, tiptoeing out and to the bedroom at the end of the hall. Jess opened the door for her at her small knock, disgusting grin on his face. The noise of the door shutting behind her made her jump and he chuckled darkly.  
“Ain’t you a pretty little thang.” He purred as he circled her, unzipping her hoodie and pushing it off her shoulders. “Soft too.” She stood naked in front of him, never having felt so degraded in her life.


	2. Flight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2. These first ones will go up in succession, as i have already got them written out.  
> Thanks for reading!

She limped back into Daryl’s room late into the night, quietly weeping herself to sleep in her cold hard corner. She woke as Daryl rose, stepping close to her.   
“You been bleedin’?” Marie heard him mumbled, feeling him lay a hand on her leg.  
“I’m fine.”  
“On your monthly?” His voice was quiet.  
“Yes.” I took the lie and ran with it.  
“We’ll pick some things up in the next town.” He offered her half a stale bit of bread, which she gnawed on, trying to get up. The pain nearly made her collapse, before she braced herself against the wall.  
“I knew the pains could be a bitch, but…”  
“I’m fine, just stiff.”   
He grunted, and she followed him down the stairs where the others were waiting.  
“You bleedin’ bitch?”  
“She’s on her monthly asshat.” Daryl retorted.  
“Eww that’s nasty.”  
“Yeah a natural process lettin’ ya know she’s all functional and can bear your offspring, gross.” Daryl bit back, sarcasm heavy, stepping out the door.  
Her heart warmed ever the slightest to his affirmation. She couldn’t remember a time where she’d ever heard a reaction other than ‘eww’. She shivered as she realized Jess was watching her, creepy smirk on his face.  
The walk today was a nightmare, every step she took pain shot through her, and she could hardly maintain an erect posture without her eyes tearing up. Round noon they hit a small village, and Daryl tapped the girl’s shoulder to get her attention. He jerked his head to a pharmacy and let the others know they’d be right back. They were too entertained after finding a liquor store to care much.  
He cleared one walker out, before allowing her past him and into the shop. She limped to the toiletries aisles, finding two packs of pads and tampons each.  
“Ain’t no expert, but don’t think that pain be normal.”  
“As I said, just stiff, didn’t sleep very comfortably.”  
He looked at me for a long hard moment. “A’ight. Look if there’s anything else worth bringing.”  
She nodded, thankful for the opportunity, and, making sure he was turned the other way, grabbed morning after and contraception pills, stuffing them into the bottom of her bag quickly. They then grabbed some antibiotics, and she slipped some oral mouthwash, toothpaste and a toothbrush in her side pockets.  
“All good?”  
“Yeah.” She was lying a lot lately.  
Marie woke the next morning worse than before, even though she had slept on the bed at Daryl’s insistence.  
“Woman you’re a wreck.” He commented from the floor as he watched her attempt to get up.  
She jumped, thinking he was still asleep. “Yeah, sucks.”   
She stopped and sat back down on the edge of the bed, watching as he got on his knees and crawled to her, setting hands on either side of her legs, face level with my chest.  
“When ya gonna stop lyin’ to me?”  
“What?” The girl blurted, a little too obvious.  
He raised his brow at her and waited, warm breath an oddly comforting sensation on her skin.  
Marie felt small and dirty under his steady gaze, embarrassed for everything she’d done, already after only two nights. “Jess.”  
“Huh?” I just stared at him as realization dawned. “He doin’ this to ya?”  
She nodded stiffly.  
“And ya lettin’ him?”  
“He said you owed him. For letting you survive. He’d kill you if I didn’t offer myself as repayment.”  
She watched his face fall as her words hit home. “Naw. Naw, tell me ya jokin’.”  
“I wish I was.”  
“Ya have contraception?”  
“Grabbed some at the pharmacy.”  
“I’m gonna skin him alive.” His eyes burned, then turned to her and seemed to go out. “You need stitches no doubt.”  
“I’ll heal.”  
“But not well.”  
“Daryl…”  
“Look, ain’t no women to do it. Doubt you’d like any o’them doin’ it.” He whispered. She shook her head lightly. “Then I all ya got.”  
He gently pushed her back until her elbows hit the bed, making a motion for her to stay, striding to his pack, and pulling out a needle and thread, plus a lighter. She watched him return, lighting a flame under the needle to disinfect it, until it glowed ruby red.   
“Git undressed.” He murmured, not meeting the girl’s eyes.  
Hands shaking, Marie unzipped her pants and peeled them off, dried blood flaking as she did. After that she hesitated a moment longer, before slipping her fingers under the sides of her panties and pulling them down.  
“Wash yourself up.” He handed her a rag, genteel enough to not stare at the mess she was.  
Marie complied, wincing sharply as the water stung her open wounds. The rag was a deep red by the time she threw it on the ground, and her stomach twisted in fear as he kneeled in front of her parted legs. The girl noticed his brow furrowing as he identified the extent of her wounds. She reached forward, trying to hide some of her nudity with her hands.  
“No need fo’that. I won’t look beyond what I need to help ya.” His eyes locked with hers when he said it, making sure she’d understood.  
The first piercing touch of the needle made her jump, and his free hand clamped down on her hip bone, stilling her. The touch was comfortingly warm and grounding. She nodded to him from where he watched her face, and he removed his hand, putting it to use in helping stitch up. It was the most uncomfortable experience of her life and she itched to wriggle and thrash and cry out in anguish and frustration.  
“I think that’s right.” She heard him mumble to himself, and stared down at him in alarm. “Ain’t had much…contact.” She watched the blush spread across his face. “Anyway, have a feel.”  
She did, gingerly. “Seems right.”  
“Good, I’m gonna go skin him now.” His voice suddenly had a very sharp edge to it  
“Ain’t worth it.”  
“What you on about girl?”  
“They’ll all turn on you Daryl. Then what will I have?”  
“I can take them.”  
She shoved her panties back on, cringing at the horrible feel of the dried blood, and grabbed his arm as he turned.  
“Please Daryl. Not like this. What’s done is done.”  
“And when he asks you to come to his room?!”  
“I won’t go any more. But he might try to kill you.”  
“You –“ He pointed a finger at my chest. “-ain’t leaving my side for nothin’, hear?”  
She nodded in agreement.  
He visibly calmed, turning to rummage through his pack again. “They are man’s underwear, but better than what you got on.” He explained, handing me a pair of clean boxers out of a new pack.  
She accepted graciously, staring at him till he turned his back, before slipping out of the revolting pair she had on and puling on the boxers. They were comfortable and loose, which was just what she needed right now, bringing a small smile to her face.  
“Thank you Daryl. Feels so much better.”  
“Look better on ya anyway.” He mumbled, jamming the lock on the door into place. “We gonna leave, you and I.”  
Her head shot up at that, making her neck crack from the sudden movement. She rubbed it, raising an eyebrow in question at him.  
“They’ve talked of passin’ through Atlanta. I say we slip out when they ain’t lookin’. Not but a day’s walk from ‘ere.”  
She nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”  
The walk in the morning was still uncomfortable, and Marie felt like she might die under the weight of Jess’s stare boring into her back. Daryl noticed, stepping between the two and falling into stride as though his movement had been merely strategic. By noon, the city’s skyline was in view, and they made it in just as the sun was starting to set.  
“Alright, find a building, clear it, we’re staying the night here!” Jess shouted to us.  
“Fucking idiot’s gonna bring down the walkers on us.” Daryl remarked to Marie, following the men to a house with a red door. He allowed them to enter, signalling to her as soon as he heard them find the first walker inside. They ran as fast as she could manage, rounding the corner, crossing the road and slipping into an empty alleyway before the walkers in the street saw them. Daryl killed one near the entrance of a door, picking it up and stuffing its body in a container to hide their trail. He knocked twice on the metal door and, when no noise was returned, yanked it open and ushered her inside. It was utterly dark inside and she pulled out her flashlight, shining it around. The place seemed quiet, so they proceeded, clearing all the bottom rooms before starting up the stairs. One walker, body crushed under a fallen beam, lurched out at them as they passed and Daryl quickly stabbed it in the head, letting it fall limply to the floor.  
“Stay behin’ me, if the room is clear, we’ll stay there fo’the night.”  
She nodded in agreement, stepping behind him as he turned the knob. Two undead surged forward as Daryl released a strangled noise, raising his crossbow and shooting point blanc into the first one’s head. It fell forward, making them step back once more and the other one trip over, gurgling and thrashing at Daryl’s legs, who promptly crushed its skull with his boot.  
“C’mon.” He beckoned, helping her step over the bodies and into the room. It smelt faintly of death, but was otherwise quite pleasant. “Ya ok?”  
“Think so, just sore.” She replied, cracking the window open just a slight bit.  
He peeked out from behind the curtains, making sure we hadn’t been followed. The alleyway bellow where we had entered was now full of walkers, serving the purpose of covering our tracks.  
“Thank you Daryl.” She said, turning to him.  
“S’nothing, was gonna leave anyway. Just gave me the reason s’all.” He murmured, oddly attracted to the warmth she was emanating.  
She smiled, patting him on the chest before turning to the bed.  
It was a small gesture, but the contact made his skin tingle under his shirt. He frowned, following her away from the window, making sure the light they had wasn’t visible from the street. He watched Marie gingerly lie on the bed, before turning to him.  
“Aren’t you gonna come sleep?”  
“Naw, gonna keep watch.” He answered, sitting back near the window.  
“You sure?”  
“Git some rest Marie.”  
She shrugged, turning on her side and promptly falling asleep.


	3. Out of city limits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After this one i'll be writing as they go up, so be patient plz (says me that rage quits when i get to the latest chapter on a fanfic i like)  
> Thanks for reading!

She slept fitfully, waking several times to find Daryl still sitting near the window, watching.  
“Everything quiet?” She asked sleepily, rubbing her eyes.  
“S’fine. How you feelin’?” He turned his head to her, crossbow still in his lap.  
“Better than before. Not great though.”  
He grunted in response, something catching his gaze outside. He rose, pulling the curtain aside slightly.  
He beckoned to her, and she rose quickly but quietly, joining him. Bellow, on the street, the group they had just abandoned walked by. They seemed to be searching, guns half cocked, and heads up. In a panic, Marie looked down into the alley, happy to see it was still dotted with walkers.  
“Think they’ll just pass by?” She whispered in his ear, head resting on his shoulder as she watched the men’s progression.  
“Hope so.” He answered gruffly. “Once they’re good and gone, we’ll make it out of tha city.”  
She nodded, moving away and back to the bed. “Come sleep a bit Daryl. I’ll keep watch if you want.”  
“Naw, ain’t sleepin’ till we outta the city.” He grumbled back.  
“You sure?”  
He grunted in response, so she grabbed a lumpy yellowed pillow and joined him.   
“What did you do before all of this?”  
“Why do people always wanna know tha’?” He grumbled.  
“Small talk I guess. I was a tattoo artist.”  
“You ain’t serious?”  
“Am. Why, don’t I look badass enough?” I joked.  
“Dunno, just didn’ expect it is all. You got any?”  
“Yeah, but a colleague of mine did them for me, never got how some artists do self-tattoos.”  
He was silent a moment, chewing on his thumb and trying to inconspicuously analyse me from under his bangs.  
“What you go’then?” He asked, removing his thumb to speak before chewing again.  
“I’ve got five. I’ll show you each one after you tell me something about yourself.” I offered the trade, wondering if he’d take it.  
“Girl your tattoos ain’t that interestin’ to me.” He reproached, making me wince internally.  
I fell silent this time, not knowing how to respond, before returning to staring out the window. The street only contained walkers, no humans.  
Sunrise arrived while I still slept, having dozed off halfway through the night when Daryl had failed to make any further conversation with me.  
He shook me awake halfway through the morning.  
“Come on. Think it’s clear.”  
I go up stiffly, grabbing our pack and following Daryl who was already retreating down the stairs. We creeped out behind the alley of walkers, taking it down the opposite way from where we had come yesterday and slipping over the far gate, which proved difficult for my stiff body. The street was teeming with walkers and we cut across as quickly as we could to a far parking lot.   
“Git up on that.” He hissed at me, pointing to a tall truck. “I’ll get us a car. Once it’s running, you come down to me.”  
I nodded, racing as fast as I could to the truck without hurting myself. I climbed the rungs at the back, watching about five walkers that had followed us back through to the lot. I banged lightly on the side of the truck so they’d follow me and not go for Daryl, who was currently peering hurriedly under the hood and tweaking something in the motor. A moment later, a motor roared to life in the pickup he sat in, calling the attention of the walkers that reached for me. They turned, starting to shamble off in his direction. Heart pounding so hard it hurt, I descended the rungs quickly, sprinting past the walkers, one of them grabbing for me. It snagged my coat at the last second, bringing me to a heart wrenching stop. Screamed in panic, wrestling to get the coat off. It fell free to my relief, and I broke out in a run, flailing at Daryl to get back in the truck from where he had stepped out, ready to come get me. I felt my stitches tear I flat out sprinted, but the adrenaline kept me from feeling pain and I hopped into the pickup’s back even as Daryl stuck it into gear and revved away from the now big crowd of walkers. We reached the city limits within a few moments, breaking free onto open road. At the first split, Daryl took the smaller fork road that dwindled into a dirt road. He slowed to a stop, motioning for me to get into the cab. I jumped down from the truck bed, yanking open the door and slamming it after me, still spooked.  
“You all’right?” His voice was rough.  
“No bites.” I wasn’t ok, but telling him that should reassure him.  
He grunted, slamming the truck back into gear and continuing down the road.  
“If I ‘member correctly, there should be a small town bout 100 miles down tha road.” He mumbled. “We’ll pick up some supplies there, if it ain’t overrun.”  
I just nodded, tucking myself against the door and huddling into my hoodie as though I could hide from everything. Blood had seeped into my pants again from the pulled stitches. I tried to ignore the now throbbing pain.  
I woke when we stopped in said town, gathering myself and stepping out of the cab. I joined Daryl on the other side, where he faced a pharmacy and a mini-mart side-by-side.  
“Rip the stitches?” He asked, looking at the blood.  
“Yeah. Running.”  
“We’ll figure it’out later.  
Mercifully, we only encountered two stray walkers, and hoped not to attract another three that were further off. The pharmacy was mostly barren by now, but a few aspirin bottles and strips of antibiotics still lay around. The mini-mart, somehow, was still about half stocked, although the perishables were piles of mold by now. We both grabbed carts and piled up any canned product, wheeling them out to the truck and loading up the back as much as we could fit in. Luckily, there was also eleven five-litre water bottles available, and the truck had a cover you could pull shut over the bed. Once that was locked in place, Daryl took care of two walkers that had now ambled over, leaving me to stab the remaining one in the head. We siphoned as much gas as we could from several cars, filling our tank as well.  
“We’ll drive through the nigh’, then maybe find somewhere safe to hole up.” Daryl broke the silence that had reigned since we started moving again.  
“Okay. You think they’re after us?”  
“I dunno. But I don’t wanna stop if they could be. We’ll cross out of Georgia by tomorrow, maybe we can head north, slowly make it to Canada.”  
I nodded, going back to staring out the window. Every now and then I’d check the rear-view mirror, just in case.  
Halfway through the night I offered to switch and drive for a bit, but Daryl said he didn’t need any rest yet.   
“You think Canada will be better off?” I inquired, shifting in my seat to alleviate my sleeping legs.  
“Dunno, but they have less population don’t they?” He grumbled back.  
“That’s true. Plus islands. If we could get to one close to shore, it would be a good base to set up, walker-free. Then if we needed supplies we’d go back to the mainland for scavenging.” I folded myself into another comfortable position, pulling up my hoodie to keep my ears warm. It was starting to get cold now.  
“Might be a plan.” He condescended.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter. I've hurt my foot badly and it's really painful, so my imagination isn't what it usually is.   
> Thanks for reading!

The road faded as I feel asleep against the window, vibrations making my nose tickle faintly. We drove another day before stopping at the next town for some more supplies, and continuing a little further. We encountered a small house a little ways off the road, so we decided to stay the night, as the sun was starting to set.  
The outside had a small fence, nothing resilient, but enough to buy us some time. I set to attaching a few empty can around it so they would make noise if something hit the fence. Daryl stood watch at the door, where I joined him when I was finished.  
“Shall we?”   
He nodded, pushing open the door slowly, which miraculously didn’t squeak. Inside it was dark and smelled strongly of death and rotten organic material. I slipped my knife out of its loop in my belt, holding it high in front of me, like I’d seen Daryl do. The silence was almost deafening and I felt the first trickle of sweat seeping down my neck. The walker was on me before I realized what had happened, pulling me to the ground with it as it fell. My lungs emptied at an alarming rate, winding me. In panic, I dropped my knife, which skittered across the floor to the other side of the room. I searched for Daryl, but he had slipped through to the other room before the walker hit me. I pushed my hands against its now gnashing face, feeling the skin slough off under my touch. Holding back bile, I croaked out for Daryl as loudly as I could.  
The bolt hit the walkers head full force, making its skull crack open and black slime seep out on to me. I threw it sideways, backing out from under it as quickly as I could, till my back hit Daryl’s legs.  
“You crazy?!” I hear his voice muffled as though it was under water.  
He dragged me up, arm around my midriff, the other holding up his crossbow as we made our way up the stairs. I watched another walker go down as though in slow motion, before he slammed the door behind us, locking it. He threw me onto something soft, depositing his crossbow next to me, before turning to the door and pulling a wardrobe against it.  
“Are there more?” I heard myself ask.  
“At least two.” He grumbled, stalking back over to grab his crossbow. “You bit, scratched?” He asked.  
I ran my hands over my body, not sure. “No. Just my stitches.”  
He grunted, opening the door a crack. A hand flailed in, which he dodged, before shooting its owner. Another body hit against the door and he sighed, unsheathing his knife and sinking it into the next walker. The corridor was silent now, and he shoved the door shut, locking it again and shoving the wardrobe closer.  
“What got in your head girl?” He growled as he turned, eyes fierce.  
“It jumped out at me, drug me to the ground. I got winded.”  
“Fuckin’ stupid.” He seemed to say more to himself than me.  
“I’m sorry.” I whispered, sitting back against the head of the bed.  
He just looked at me. I blushed in anger and embarrassment, ripping a new shirt out of my pack before turning my back to him and discarding the dirty one full of walker brain. I could almost feel the burn of his eyes on my naked back. I slipped into the new shirt, still feeling disgusting.  
“Get some sleep Daryl, I’ll keep watch.”   
He hesitated for a second, before falling into the bed, crossing his arm behind his head and seeming to fall asleep quickly. The night was cold, but I stayed away from the bed and its promise of warms sheets. At what I reckoned must be midnight, I walked to the window and peered out. My heart kicked so hard for a moment I thought it’d go into arrest. In the moonlight, I could see hundreds of bodies moving. I ducked down, happy that we hadn’t left any lights on in the room. As quietly as I could, I pulled the curtains closed very slowly, hoping the walkers wouldn’t notice from ground level. I then tiptoed to the bed where Daryl snored softly, gently placing a hand on his chest. He woke immediately and with a start, grabbing me by my arm and brandishing his knife before he realised it was me.  
“Be very quiet.” I hissed quickly. He made a face. “Herd outside.” I filled in.  
“Shit.” He mumbled, raising and peeking out. “Fuck.” He ushered me to the bed. “We have to keep quiet, not move.”  
I nodded, heart still racing. The cold slowly seeped back into my bones as my adrenaline levels dropped again. I shivered, carefully sticking my legs under the sheets, still warm from where Daryl had slept.


	5. Towels

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter! Hope you enjoy Daryl's solution for avoiding nakedness in public :)  
> Thanks for reading!

We waited the rest of the night in silence, and just as my eyes began to droop, the first ray of morning sun lit up the semi-transparent white curtains. I shook myself awake again, walking to the window and peeking out. The field was now mercifully free of undead, and I sighed in relief. Daryl was up, cleaning his crossbow as he watched me.  
“It’s clear.” I muttered.  
“Good. I think we should stay ‘nother night.” He tested his bolts for weaknesses. “Let the herd get further ‘way.”  
I nodded in agreement, stretching lazily. “I’m gonna see if there’s running water.” I told him, before leaving the bedroom.   
I heard his answering grunt as I reached a door. I opened it slowly, cautious. The stench that hit me made me gag, hard. I caught a glimpse of a child’s room, blood spattered across the giraffe that was painted on the wall, before I shut the door again. When I turned, Daryl was stood in the jamb of our bedroom door.  
“Everythin’ ok?”  
“Stinks in there.” I answered bluntly. “And it’s not the bathroom.”  
“Be careful.” He mumbled as I crossed the corridor past him to the opposite door.  
I carefully cracked open the door, happy to not be greeted with the same stench as the other one. It was musty, but didn’t smell of rotting flesh. I shoved the door open all the way, and the room was empty, white, and clean. I smiled at the bathtub.  
“Bingo.” I grinned at Daryl.   
He grunted back. “You first if the water runs.”  
“Smell worse do I?” I kidded, but his face remained stony.  
Sighing quietly, I turned the tap in front of me, silently praying. Brackish water gushed out, running clear after a moment. I gave a little squeak of happiness.   
“Daryl, here’s a towel. Give me your clothes, I’ll wash’em in the sink, then we can hang them. See if the radiator still has gas.” I threw him the towel.  
“Nah.”  
“What?” I paused mid-corridor.  
“Ain’t prancin’ round in nothin’ but a towel.”  
“Why not.”  
“Coz I don’t wanna! Can’t a man have his privacy?” His voice was suddenly sharp.  
“Of course. Sorry, just thought it would be convenient.” I felt a lump in my throat and I squeezed my fists shut to subside the urge to cry.  
When he didn’t answer, I turned sideways, marching to the bathroom. All my recent happiness due to the availability of water faded and I filled the tub without joy, sinking into the lukewarm water, which must have been well-pulled.  
I squeezed out my clothes after getting out and wrapping a towel around me. My hair had lost its mousy colour when I washed the dirt out, and now shone. Wet mass of clothes in hand, I returned solemnly to the bedroom. Daryl was stretched out on top of the bed sheets, eyes shut, breathing steady.  
“Your turn.” I mumbled, to which he woke immediately. In my short time with him, I had learned he needed little to wake him.  
“Are there two towels?” He asked. “The radiator works, by the way.”  
“Yeah maybe even three, why?” I answered, placing my wet clothes on the radiator.  
“I’ll wash my clothes then, bring them out after I’m done.”  
“Oh. Right.” I was rather annoyed now.  
He took it as a cue to leave, and I followed him out the room, going down the stairs instead of to the right. I found the kitchen easily enough, and proceeded to check the cupboards. As this family seemed to have died or killed themselves off pretty soon after this started, there was still quite a bit of food left over. The remoteness of this place must have helped too. I got out two cans of baked beans, two of peas and a can of tuna, placing them on the table and opening them. I doled out food on each plate, giving Daryl more of each, before grabbing the plates and two forks and heading back upstairs. I set his on the bedside, keeping mine in my lap as I stared out the window. After a few minutes, I heard him open the door, walk into the room and hang his clothes next to mine. As I turned to point his food out to him, I was met with an odd sight. He had one towel wrapped around his waist, one around his torso and one riding on his shoulders. The only skin I could see was his calves.  
“Cold?” I chided. He just glared back. “Food’s on the bedside.”  
He grabbed his plate, sitting on the bed with it as he shovelled it down. “You gave me more.” He remarked.  
“Well you need it.”  
“So do you.”  
“I won’t go hungry Daryl.”  
He grunted in seeming discord, but didn’t say anything further on the matter, brushing hair out of his eyes.  
“You should let me cut that.”  
“Ain’t letting you near it with scissors.”  
“It’s not much, just so it doesn’t brush in your eyes.” I argued.  
“S’fine.”   
“Ok.” I didn’t have strength to insist.  
“Think I’m gonna go out and see if I can find me some good wood for makin’ bolts. These are gettin’ weak.” He said, tossing the plate and fork into the bin in the corner.  
Plus side of the apocalypse you ask? Well you normally don’t have to do the dishes.


	6. Blood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New ones up! Hope you enjoy :)

As Daryl searched the forest for suitable wood for his bolts, I set to the task of organizing the food in the kitchen cupboards. I stacked the cans on the kitchen table, threw away the stuff that wasn’t edible any more, and even picked out a few bits of cutlery they could use. The cutlery drawer also provided several large knives, a Swiss knife and a whetstone that would help for sharpening. I placed my hands on my hips, grinning at the panoply of items I had arranged.  
I noticed Daryl standing in the doorway, so I turned.   
“Hello sweet thang.” Jess stood there, shit-eating grin on his face. I screamed.  
From the forest, Daryl heard Marie scream. He dropped the wood he had in his hand, swinging the crossbow onto his back and running flat–out back to the house. Thankfully, the forest was thin and didn’t have much underbrush, and still Daryl tripped a couple of times on vines and roots in his mad dash back to the cottage. He was imagining all sorts of horrible situations in which he might find her, but nothing prepared him for the simply empty house which greeted him when he arrived. The stack of can she had made on the table was knocked over, one can of black beans had split open when it hit the floor.  
“Marie!” He shouted. There was no answer. “Fuck! Where are you Marie?!”   
He ran up the stairs, but the rooms proved equally as empty. He raced back down the stairs and out the door.   
“MARIE!” He screamed now, voice breaking.  
The only answer was a few birds flying from their posts. He felt panic bubble up inside him, just as he realized that, just like Beth, Marie had been taken. He whimpered in confusion, just hearing the engine of a car roar to life across the field. Gritting his teeth, he ran for their truck, throwing his crossbow in the seat beside him and spinning out of there, straight across the field. He skidded to a halt as he reached the main road, car slipping sideways on the gravel until it halted in the middle of the road.  
Stretching before him, too many to possibly count, was another herd of walkers. At the far side of the wave of undead, he saw a car reach the crest of the hill, before disappearing.  
“Fuck!” He shouted, putting the car into reverse.   
There was no way that the truck would survive driving through that many bodies. No matter how much he wanted to try, he knew that if he died in a stupid attempt, Marie would be on her own. A walker reached his window just as he stuck it back into drive, leaving them in the dust. He sped down the road, eyes peeled for any possible turnoff that might lead back that way without going over the main road. A dirt path appeared around the corner and he slammed on the breaks, doing a U-turn and taking the path. He hardly felt the bumps in the road, and was happy this truck has four-wheel drive, lest its axel break under the pressure.  
He re-found the main road just as the sun was starting to set. The section was still crawling with undead. He drove until well into the night, but found no sign of the car that had Marie in it. Beginning to despair, he swerved to the side, killing the engine and hitting the wheel in frustration. He felt something trickle down his cheek and wiped it away, realizing he was crying.  
“I can’t do tha’ again. Not like Beth.” He mumbled to himself. “Fuck Marie, what am I gonna do?”  
Resolving that falling asleep at the wheel and crashing the car wouldn’t help, he promised himself he’d drive until the sun rose, then if he had no luck, would rest a while before trying again. The blackness of the night closed in around him as he drove, stomach twisted in knots and head a jumble of thoughts and nightmares.  
Daryl awoke on the third day since Marie’s disappearance, neck sore from the way he had slept on it. Stretching briefly, he stepped outside the cab, sticking a knife in the eye of and approaching walker, before taking a piss beside the car. A branch snapped in the woods before him and he finished up, zipping his jeans before grabbing the knife again, waiting. A female walker appeared out of the bushes, covered with blood from head to toe, leg dragging in a limp. Ready to let out his pent up anger, Daryl raised the knife, ready to strike.  
That’s when he noticed a small pendant around its neck, the same as Marie had. Dread filled him, and he looked up to its face. Marie looked back at him, eyes normal, but expression alien.  
“Marie?” He whispered.  
She fell to her knees in front of him, wrapping her arms around his torso and burying her head against his stomach. He fell after her, displacing her arms so they now sat under his and cupping her face in his hands.  
“You bit? Marie?”  
She shook her head in his hands, and then her eyes rolled back into her head and she fell limp against him.  
I woke feeling my limbs and head heavy. Slowly, I propped myself up on my elbows, looking around. Daryl stirred next to me, deep in sleep. I noticed his hand was curled shut, the hem of my shirt in it. He stirred as I sat up.  
“Marie?”   
I set a hand on his shoulder to reassure him I was still there. He looked up at me, then sat up too.  
“What’he hell happened?”  
“Jess came for me when you were in the forest.” I started, moving my hand when he started to fidget. “We drove for a couple of days, don’t know how long exactly, coz I was in the boot.” I paused. “When we stopped, he took me out the boot, we were at their camp.” I accepted the water Daryl offered me. “They…had their way with me, then left me by the fire, obviously thinking I was too weak to run. They got a bit wasted, so I waited until they fell asleep. I grabbed a knife, and slit each ones throat silently, until I reached Jess. For him I wanted to do something special. So I cut the tendons at the base of each calf, so he couldn’t run. Of course I had to do it simultaneously, which proved difficult, but I managed.” Daryl was watching me intently, unreadable expression on his face. “So he couldn’t run now, so next came his arms, which I pinned to the floor with two knives. Then I cut off his…and made him eat it. Left him there with his buddies for them to wake up and eat him.”  
Daryl now looked afraid of me.  
“I know, I’m probably insane, and plus I’ll have nightmares for the rest of my life, but…you understand don’t you? I couldn’t let them have me, let them break me that way.”  
“I understand Marie. I’m glad you were strong enough to make it out. I don’t know what I’d do if I couldn’t find you.”  
I smiled. “I’d pity the person that got in your way. Never had someone care about me, I’ve been taken before and my original company couldn’t have given less of a fuck.”  
“Most people are cowards, they’re just good at hiding it, until the time comes.”


	7. Scratches

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story has more twists and turns than that one road that holds the world record for the most twists and turns :v

I nodded in agreement. “I’ll understand though, if you don’t want to keep me around.” I whispered.  
“Nah.” He stood, walking over to his pack in the corner and taking out two cans.  
He handed me one of baked beans, cracking his own one open.  
We reached the border at about midday, and stopped at a small border town to gas up. As I climbed out of the truck cab, two walkers rounded the corner of the nearest building, making their way towards us. I signalled to Daryl that I had them, and he nodded, removing the gas canister from the back of the truck.  
I approached the dead, strafing to the left to lead one away from the other, before sinking the knife into the first one’s skull. The knife stuck, forcing me to release it, still embedded in the walker’s head. I backed up, stepping out of reach of the second one, before running around it and yanking the knife free. As I turned, I felt nails rake across my arm, even as my blade fell home in the walkers skull. I propped myself against a car, examining the damage. Two nail marks blotched across my white skin, blood seeping through one of the paths.  
“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.” I swore under my breath, tearing off a piece of cloth and binding my arm, before steeling myself and returning to Daryl by the car. The colder weather justified the fact that I shrugged my coat on when I arrived, and no questions were asked. As we drove away from the town, only then did I realize how hard my heart beat, and how fucked I was.  
We spent the night in the truck, taking turns at sleeping. At around four in the morning, everything in my body had started to ache, and paranoid thoughts dominated my mind. I glanced over to where Daryl snored lightly, one walker lightly banging on the window next to him. Feeble, I reached over to Daryl, shaking him awake.  
“Y’ok?”  
“Fine.” I lied, settling down for my nap.  
I felt him watching me, until I slipped into a fitful rest. When I woke we were already driving, and every bone in my body jarred with the truck’s movements. I groaned under my breath in pain.  
“What is up with ya?” Daryl’s voice sounded too loud and I whimpered.   
I felt the car swerve to the left, threatening to make me vomit, before halting, tires digging into the mud and gravel.  
“Marie?” He grabbed my arm where I‘d been scratched, making me cry out in pain.   
His brows furrowed at my noise, before he pulled off the coat and ripped he bandages away. I watched his eyes turn incredulous.  
“When?”  
“At the town. One of them scratched me.”   
I caught his hand in mine, ignoring the searing pain the movement created. I pulled on it weakly until he looked at me.  
“I want you to promise you’ll do it. Slip a knife in my head as soon as I change.”  
“Why the fuck didn’t you tell me right away?!” He shouted, snatching his hand away and jerking my arm, which made me scream out. He looked guilty now.  
“I was scared.”   
He sighed, placing his head in his hands. “Can you take another small trip? There was a sign back there that said it was only a few miles to the next place.” His voice was suddenly calm.  
“I think so.”  
He nodded, reigniting the engine and pulling back onto the road. He carried me up to the bedroom when we arrived, and placed me on a soft bed. To me, the bed felt like nails piercing into my sides. Daryl sat beside me and for once he looked nervous and unsure.  
“I promise.” He murmured.  
I smiled at him, slipping back into my hallucinations and nightmares, knowing I’d never wake from them again.  
He watched Marie’s eyes close and squeezed his own shut for a moment, not wanting to believe this was happening. He rose, watching her flinch as he did, fingers feebly reaching for him. He shouldn’t have left her then, but he was weak, and he did.   
He now stood, door to the bedroom closed in front of him, morning light filtering through the nearest window. Sighing heavily, he unsheathed his knife and walked through into the room. Marie lay on the bed, looking as though she was peacefully asleep, but for the pallor her skin had and the sheen of sweat it was covered with. She remained unmoving, even as he sat next to her body, his knife poised.   
Letting out an exasperated sigh, he rose again, knife still in his fist, and stalked to the window, before turning again to the bed. Marie’s eyes opened, enveloped in the white film characteristic of walkers. Her mouth opened and closed, and Daryl approached her, heart racing, arm raising behind his head…  
“Daryl?” Her voice croaked out from between her pale lips, white eyes finding him.  
His world shattered around him. This was it, he’d finally gone insane. He was imagining her talking, when in fact she was just a reanimated corpse.  
“What happened?” Her voice was rough, scared. “Daryl?”  
He groaned, dropping the knife and tying her hands, ignoring his hallucinations.  
“Daryl? It’s me. I’m not dead.” Her voice was panicked now.  
“Impossible.” He muttered.  
I struggled weakly, body still aching. I had no idea how my fever had broken, how I was still alive, or why Daryl didn’t believe me. He finished tying me up, face unreadable, hands shaking.  
“Daryl please, look at me.”  
“Hallucinations.” He muttered, and I figured he thought that’s what was happening.  
He left the room in a hurry, and for a moment I thought he’d just left me there to die, but I heard his footsteps in the corridor. I struggled against my bonds, looking up to find they were made of bits of ripped cloth tied to the bed post. It gave a little to my efforts and I pulled harder, managing to slip my small hand out. I tried to free my other hand, but Daryl re-entered the room.  
“Shit.” I heard him curse, making his way to me.  
“Daryl, it’s me, I’m not dead, please, stop.”  
He paused, hovering over me. Slowly, I moved my hand to his face.   
“Daryl.” He stared at me, eyes wild.  
“Ain’t real.”  
“I am real. Please, let me go.”  
His eyes bugged out in realization and before I knew it I was untied and in his arms.  
“How the fuck is this possible?” He hissed roughly in my ear.  
“I guess I’m immune.”  
“But you look like them, Marie.”  
“What?” I asked, not understanding.   
He pursed his lips and chewed on his thumb, before rising and searching the room. He returned with a hand mirror. Confused, I accepted. The face that met me made me fling the mirror onto the bed.  
“WHAT THE FUCK!” I screamed.  
“You’re eyes. They are like the walker’s.”  
“Fuck me. What the fuck. That doesn’t make sense.”  
“I don’t know Marie.”  
“No wonder you thought I was dead.”  
“Yeah, kinda.”  
“I wonder if it’s just a matter of time.”  
“Don’t say tha’.”  
“Well who knows Daryl?”  
He fell silent.  
“You’ll have to tie me up. Whenever you might be vulnerable.”


End file.
